Robert francis taylor



March 6,1928. R 1 1,661,914

F. TAYLOR APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS GRINDING AND POLISHING 0F GLASS IN THE FOR OF STRIPS OR PLATES Filed Ap M Iil 17. 1924 gw PK, 4- I I5 I6 lNVE/VTUR.

Fm A l Patented Mar. 6, 1928;

UNITE STATES.

PATENT orrics.

ROBERT FRANCIS TAYLOR, OF ST. HELENS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO PILKINGTON' BROTHERS LIMITED, OF LIVERPOOL, LANCASTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH LIMITED COMPANY.

. APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS GRINDING AND POLISHING OF GLASS IN THE FORM OF STRIPS OR PLATES.

I Application filed April 17, 1924,Seria1 No. 707,234, and in Great Britain February 6, 192d. 7

rice is so engaged with the adjacent tables as to prevent relative vertical motion of the abutting ends of any two adjacent tables.

in apparatus of the type referred to, it is essential for commercial operation, that the plates of glass can be laid overthe lines of junction between the tables, andiit is found that a very small vertical movement of the end of one table relative tort-he abutting end of an adjacent table, is sufficient to cause breakage of the glass when the latter is subjected to the heavy pressure of the grinding runners. While it.- is possible to avoid such relative motion by adopting certain forms of support. for the tables and by accurately forming the guiding surfaces, this invention renderslit possible to prevent such relative motion inan apparatus Which is constructed with less accuracy and is consequently far less costly. Since apparatus of the type referred to, is necessarily large,-being usually from 300 to 500 feet long,'the cost thereof is great and it will be appreciated that the saving which can be secured by reducing the accuracy of construction requisite, is of great con'nnercial importance.

According to this invention, the end surfaces of each table are so engaged with the abutting end surfaces of the adjacent tal'iles, as to prevent relative vertical motion of the The ention, or it may be such that relative vertical motion is possible only when there is relative horizontal motion between the tables in the direction to separate their end surfaces, in which latter case means are provided to prevent such relative horizontal motion and thereby to prevent any relative vertical motion.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a continuous grinding and polishing apparatus, a'ndzFigures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sections on a larger scale through portions of adjacent tables along lines where the end surfaces of the tables abut, and representing five different forms of end surface, andFigureT is a side. elevation of portions of twotablesshowing a means of attaching said tables together In all the drawings, 1 and L- are respectively two adjacent tables.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings,'1, 2' and 3 are tables supportedon a framework 1- and sliding on guiding surfaces 5 formed on the framework 4. moved along the guiding surfaces 5 in the direction shown by the arrow, by means of a pinion 6 engaging with a. rack 7 fixed to the underside of each of thetables, the pinion 6 being turned by any convenient. means. i The pinion 6 is located at the rear end of. the apparatus and engages the rearinost table of the series. The grinding runners'of which only one, 8, is shown, are supported on a framework 9.: In this form of apparatus each table of the series except the rearmost is driven by pressure on its rear end surface exercised by the next following table.

Referring to Figure 2, the end surfaces of table 1 has a male V form or angular ridge 10 and the adjacent end surface of table 2 a corresponding female V form. hen, therefore, the two tables are held together by any suitable means, with their adjacent end surfaces in contact, they interlock as shown in Figure 2, and relatlve vertical motion of the adjacent ends of the tables is prevented.

Referring to Figure3, the. adjacent end surfaces of the two tables 1 and Zhave pow tious one in the form of a male V or ridge and the other in' the form of female V and the tables are adapted thereby to interlock as in the case of the device shown in Figure 2. The forms of the end surfaces of the two tables are, similar but not corresponding, so that the portions 110 f. the end surface of table 1 will not abut against the portions 12 of the end surface of table 2.

Referring to Figure 4, one end surface of table 1 is a convex curve or ridge 13 and the adjacent end surface of table 2 is a corresponding concave curve, and the end sur faces are therefore adapted to interlock.

Referring to Figure 5, the adjacent end surfaces of the two tables 1 and 2 have portions in the form of a convex ridge and a. correspondingly concave recess 14 respectively and the tables are adapted thereby to interlock. The remainingportions 15 of the The series of tables is end surface of table 1 are flat and do not abut against the corresponding portions 16 of the end surface of the next adjacent table 2.

The interlocking devices shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are adapted to prevent relative vertical motion of the engaging ends of adjacent tables only when combined with means for retaining the said ends in abutment each with the other. An example of such means is shown in, and has been described with reference to, Figure 1, and consists in driving the whole series of tables by the rear-most table.

An alternative means is shown in Figure 7 and consists in so attaching eachtable to the next adjacent tables, that its end surfaces are retained in abutment each, with the adjacent end surface of the respective table. Tables 1 and 2 are provided with lugs 17 and 18 respectively which overlap and are slotted in their overlapping portions so as to admit of a wedge 1-9 being driven through the said portions to draw the two tables into abutment and so retain them.

Referring to Figure 6, the end surface of table 1 is provided with a tongue or ridge 20 with parallel sides at top'and bottom, which is adapted to engage in a groove 21 formed in the adjacent end surface of table 2. By means of this device tables land 2 are interlocked positively, that is to say, relative vertical motion of the adjacent ends is prevented thereby whether or not the said adjacent ends are in abutment. This invention therefore may be carried out by means of this device without any means for retaining the adjacent end surface of the tables in abutment.

"lhe apparatus and devices described above and shown in the drawings are to be regarded as examples of a large variety of constructional forms of the invention, and

to which the invention is applicable, and the interlocking devices may be of any crosssectional form and may eirtend over the whole width of the tables or over only a portion or portions thereof, and the tables may abut over the whole of their end surfaces or over only a portion or portions thereof, the minimum area in abutment being that required to withstand the pressure'between adjacent tables.

Since complete accuracy is impossible in any mechanical construction, it is to be understood that the words accuracy, accurately and inaccurate, when used in this specification and in the claim in refer ence to the guiding surfaces of the tables or the means of support of the latter on such surfaces, refer to such accuracy as is commercially desirable or useful.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In continuousgrinding and polishing apparatus of the type referred to, a series of tables one end surface of each of which abuts against the adjacent end surface of the next adjacenttable, a ridge on one such V 0 I abutting end surface, a recess in the other of said abutting end surfaces, the ridge and recess being in mutual engagement to prevent relative motion between said end surfaces in either direction perpendicular to the plane of the supporting surfaceof said tables, and means for retaining the end sur-.

faces in abutment.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature hereto.

ROBERT FRANCIS TAYLOR. 

